Electronic call assistants with shared database

ABSTRACT

A telephone exchange ( 1 ) arranged to communicate with communication units ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 ) and to provide a plurality of electronic call assistants to the communication units, a first electronic call assistant ( 12 ) being provided to a first communication unit ( 2 ) and a second electronic call assistant ( 14 ) to a second communication unit ( 4 ), the first electronic call assistant ( 12 ) having access to a distinct first database ( 36 ), the second electronic call assistant ( 14 ) having access to a distinct second database ( 38 ), wherein the first ( 12 ) and second ( 14 ) electronic call assistants share a common database ( 40 ).

The invention relates to a telephone exchange arranged to communicatewith a plurality of communication units comprising at least one set ofcommunication units associated with one or more subscribers, and toprovide an electronic call assistant platform to said at least one setof communication units, said electronic call assistant platformcomprising at least a first electronic call assistant associated withone subscriber and a second electronic call assistant associated withsaid one subscriber, the first electronic call assistant having accessto a distinct first database, the second electronic call assistanthaving access to a distinct second database.

Such a telephone exchange is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,789(“Wildfire”) which describes a computer-based electronic call assistantwhich is arranged, inter alia, to receive and manage incoming calls to asubscriber. The electronic call assistant, after having received theincoming call, establishes a first communication link with the callerand a second communication link between the caller and the subscriber.It then operates in a foreground mode. After having established thecommunication links it shifts to a background mode in which it monitorsthe communication between the caller and the subscriber. By means of asummoning command (i.e., the spoken command “Wildfire”) the electroniccall assistant can be switched back to the foreground mode in which itis able to carry out several commands given by the subscriber. Thus, in“Wildfire”, the electronic call assistant is an intermediary between thesubscriber and the caller. The caller gets access to the electronic callassistant by dialing a telephone number associated with the electroniccall assistant. In order to make use of the functionality of such anelectronic call assistant a new subscriber to the electronic callfacility is given a new telephone number associated with the electroniccall assistant.

After having established the first communication link, the electroniccall assistant of “Wildfire” assists the caller to trace the subscriberto whom the caller wants to be connected. The electronic call assistant,e.g., checks whether the subscriber is already calling, whether thesubscriber is away, or does not want to accept any telephone calls. Theelectronic call assistant may even try to locate the subscriber in another place where he is supposed to be at the moment of callingaccording to a schedule made up by the subscriber (call forwardingfacility). The electronic call assistant may, for instance, try to reachthe subscriber either on his fixed or mobile telephone, as indicated bythe subscriber. If any of the attempts of the electronic call assistantto locate the subscriber, and thus to establish the second communicationlink, fails it may request the caller to leave a message in the voicemail box and send an e-mail message to the subscriber's workstation.

When the subscriber is present but busy with another telephone call, theelectronic call assistant may briefly interrupt the actual call tonotify the subscriber of the waiting call and request him whether hewishes to be interrupted by the waiting caller.

Other options of the electronic call assistant disclosed by “Wildfire”are managing a schedule of the subscriber, sending messages, sendingreminders to the subscriber, and keeping records as to persons, groupsof persons and places, as well as telephone records.

The “Wildfire” system is able to accept both spoken commands andelectronic commands, e.g., generated by the keys of a telephoneapparatus. The electronic call assistant sends its messages to thesubscriber either by artificial spoken language or by messages shown ona monitor or the like.

All these known facilities may be present or added to the concept of thepresent invention which will be explained below.

Problems related to the electronic call assistant of “Wildfire” are asfollows. First of all, in many countries people do not want to changetheir telephone number when they obtain the additional functionality ofan electronic call assistant. In the concept of “Wildfire”, people looseall the telephone numbers associated with all different telephonenumbers they wish to connect to the electronic call facility. Forinstance they have, e.g., one number related to a fixed telephone andone to a mobile telephone, and they receive one new number instead.Then, the electronic call assistant is able to manage incoming calls tothis new number and people could indicate, e.g., that they want toforward those calls to either their fixed or mobile telephone. However,there is a desire to keep different telephone numbers for differenttelephone units. For instance, many people wish to give their mobilenumber only to a limited group of people whereas they agree to publishtheir fixed telephone number to everybody.

This could be solved by providing a different electronic call assistantto each of the different telephone numbers. Then, there would be no needto provide new telephone numbers for new electronic call assistants.When a user has two or more telephones, for instance, one fixedtelephone (for instance either PSTN or ISDN) and one mobile telephone(for instance GSM) he would have several electronic call assistants. Allthese electronic call assistants could support the user by guiding himthrough all services offered by the telephone company. However, peoplewould have increasing difficulties with all services offered for thedifferent telephone numbers they have. Moreover, people get the feelingthat services, although being comparable for fixed and mobile telephoneunits feel increasingly different. People are becoming tired of keepingtrack of all these ever changing services. They like to get more controlover all these services. Especially, they like to have control overtheir attainableness for certain callers in certain situations.

The present invention provides a solution to the problems referred toabove. It is directed to enhancing the user-friendliness of telephonesystems while still offering the possibility of using many differentservices without the need to change telephone numbers in case ofobtaining electronic call assistant facilities for a plurality ofdifferent telephone numbers.

To obtain this object the present invention provides a telephoneexchange as defined at the outset, wherein the first and secondelectronic call assistants share a common data base.

By sharing a common data base, and preferably the electronic callassistants being arranged to be able to communicate with one another, asubscriber having two or more telephone units each with its ownelectronic call assistant, will be guided through all possible servicesfrom all of his telephone units by using one of his telephone unitsonly.

The first and second electronic call assistants are associated with onesubscriber and may present themselves to the subscriber with the samename. When the subscriber has e.g. fixed and mobile telephones, when hewishes to be supported by an electronic call assistant he enters hiselectronic call assistant platform, which for instance sends theannouncement “I am your call assistant X”. The platform knows throughCLI (Calling Line Identification) with which telephone (fixed or mobile)the caller has entered the platform. Depending on the telephone used(fixed or mobile) the caller may be supported in another way.Especially, the caller might be supported in the following way. Whenusing, for instance, his mobile telephone, especially his mobiletelephone settings and not his fixed telephone settings may be amended.It is, then, more user-friendly when the different electronic callassistants present themselves to the user with different names. Bypresenting themselves as separate electronic call assistants it isalways clear to both user and system which settings are the subject ofthe dialogue (in this case the settings of the mobile telephone, as wellas possible common setting).

Preferably, the common database comprises at least a common voicemailbox and settings related to the common voicemail box.

Moreover, preferably the common database comprises at least a commonaddress book and settings related to the common address book.

The access to the electronic call assistants may be protected bypersonal identification numbers (PIN).

Moreover, arrangements may be made to allow access to either one of theelectronic call assistants to a user of a third communication unit afterthe user has inputted both the personal identification number concernedand the calling line identification concerned by means of the thirdcommunication unit.

The present invention also relates to a method of communicating by meansof a telephone exchange arranged to communicate with a plurality ofcommunication units comprising at least one set of communication unitsassociated with one or more subscribers, the method including:

-   -   a providing an electronic call assistant platform to said at        least one set of communication units, said electronic call        assistant platform comprising at least a first electronic call        assistant associated with one subscriber and a second electronic        call assistant associated with said one subscriber;    -   allowing said first electronic call assistant access to a        distinct first database;    -   allowing said second electronic call assistant access to a        distinct second database;    -   allowing the first and second electronic call assistants access        to a shared common database.

Thus, the invention provides an electronic call assistant platform witha plurality of electronic call assistants to subscribers. Eachsubscriber who has more than one telephone unit may subscribe to theprovision of one electronic call assistant per telephone unit. Thesubscriber himself informs the telephone company which telephone unitsmust be provided with such an electronic call assistant and which one ofthem must share a common database.

The electronic call assistants who share a common database are thus ableto support one another. They are, for instance, both able to set thesettings of the common database and update the content of the commondatabase, whereas they are both able to access the content of their owndatabase. Principally, when the subscriber uses his mobile telephoneunit he will be assisted by the electronic call assistant related to themobile telephone unit and if he uses his fixed telephone unit he will besupported by the electronic call assistant related to the fixedtelephone unit.

As in the prior art, the electronic call assistants will, preferably, becontrolled by voice recognition. Since the electronic call assistantsshare a common database, it is easier for them to be informed of anydesire to forward a call or to obtain information.

It does not matter which one of the telephone units is used, it isalways possible, for instance, to set the voicemail on or off withoutusing difficult codes comprising * or #. Moreover, when the voicemailfacility is used, a user can always access the voicemail box by eitherone of his telephone units. He does not need to listen to voicemailboxes of two different telephone units.

Moreover, the electronic call assistants may be arranged to assist thesubscriber for calling back persons without having the need to inputnumbers using the keys of the telephone unit: the subscriber simply saysthe name of the person to be called and the electronic call assistantdoes the rest.

The only number that the subscriber needs to recall is the number to getaccess to the electronic call assistant platform.

When the telephone units are implemented as personal-computer-likearrangements, the electronic call assistants may also support e-mailand/or facsimile facilities. The data of these e-mails and facsimileswill then be stored in the common database which is accessible to thegroup of electronic call assistants associated with the group ofcommunication units belonging to one subscriber (or a group ofsubscribers).

The concept of the present invention may also be applied to telephoneunits used by a plurality of people living together and using one ormore telephone units together. In such a situation, different electroniccall assistants, and different groups of co-operating electronic callassistants in the electronic call assistant platform, may be definedthrough combinations of calling line identification (CLI) and differentpersonal identification numbers (PIN) for different persons.

The invention will now be explained with reference to some drawingswhich are intended to illustrate the invention only and not to limit itsscope.

FIG. 1 shows in a schematical way how telephones communicate with oneanother through a telephone exchange;

FIG. 2 schematically shows the electronic call assistant platform inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 3.1 and 3.2 show a top level flowchart for possible steps carriedout by the electronic call assistant platform;

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an access procedure providing access to anelectronic call assistant;

FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2 provide a schematic overview of the flowchart for theMain Menu of the electronic call assistant platform;

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for the module “Settings” of the top level flowchart of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart for the module “SetVoiceMail Greeting” of FIG.6;

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart for the module “SetLineLabel” of FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 9.1 and 9.2 show a flowchart of steps carried out by theelectronic call assistant platform when a party wishes to call anotherparty while using the electronic call assistant platform in accordancewith the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a telephone exchange 1 provides communicationbetween several telephone units 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. These telephone unitsmay be fixed or mobile. Moreover, it is envisaged that instead of fixedor mobile telephones, telecommunication units in a form of personalcomputers may also be used. Such telecommunication units (not shown)then should be provided with a microphone and a loudspeaker in order toallow it to function as a telephone. As a further alternative, theinvention may be applied to personal computers communicating throughe.g. the Internet for transmitting and receiving e-mails and facsimilemessages. Moreover, the telephone exchange 1 may comprise processorscontrolled by software and/or digital/analogue circuits as the case maybe. The telephone exchange components necessary to perform the requiredfunctions need not be physically located in one location.

Often, one and the same person has both a fixed telephone 2 and at leastone mobile telephone 4. Still, that person wishes to have a simple wayof receiving voicemail for both his fixed telephone 2 and his mobiletelephone 4, without having to deal with different procedures. To thatend, the telephone exchange 1 is provided with an electronic callassistant platform 11.

Parts of the electronic call assistant platform 11, such as databases orparts thereof, may be distributed among a number of telephone exchanges.There is no strict necessity to have all databases in one and the samelocation.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic call assistant platform 11 comprisesan access module 6. The access module 6 is, preferably, based on“Calling Line Identification” (CLI-based). This means that the firststep in an identification process is based on the telephone number ofthe telephone used by a user to establish a telephone call with anotherparty. The access module 6 provides possible access to one of aplurality of electronic call assistants 12, 14. In FIG. 2, the situationis shown that there is a first electronic call assistant 12 for thefixed telephone 2 and a second electronic call assistant 14 for themobile telephone 4. It is assumed that the fixed telephone 2 and themobile telephone 4 are of the same subscriber who wishes to have hisservices of the telephone company through both his fixed telephone 2 andhis mobile telephone 4 shared as much as possible. However, theinvention also relates to subscribers having any other number of fixedtelephones and/or mobile telephones. For each of the distinct telephonesa separate electronic call assistant within platform 11 will beprovided.

The electronic call assistant 12 operates in accordance with a Main Menu8. The electronic call assistant 14 operates in accordance with a MainMenu 10. Preferably, the electronic call assistants 12,14 are arrangedto communicate with one another when necessary, as indicated with arrows13. In practice, the Main Menu's 8,10 will, preferably, be differentroutes followed within one single Main Menu, e.g., the Main Menu A10 asillustrated in FIGS. 3.1, 5.1, and 5.2. Communication 13 between callassistants 12,14 may, e.g., be necessary when setting voicemailgreetings for the different telephones 2,4 as will be explainedhereinafter with reference to FIG. 7. Alternatively, a user can directlyrequest access to another electronic call assistant, as will beexplained with reference to blocks A 108/109 in FIG. 5.1.

The electronic call assistant platform 11 comprises a database 16. Thedatabase 16 is subdivided into 3 portions:

-   -   a first database portion 36 accessible to the first electronic        call assistant 12 only,    -   a second database portion 38 accessible to the second electronic        call assistant 14 only, and    -   a third database portion 40 accessible to both electronic call        assistants 12,14.

When there would be more electronic call assistants for one subscriber,there would also be more database portions, but they would all share onecommon database portion 40.

The common third database portion 40 comprises data as to a commonvoicemail box 24. Preferably, also data as to a common directory 26 areprovided in the common third database portion 40. Moreover, the commonthird database portion 40 will comprise data as to settings 28 relatedto the common database portion 40.

The first database portion 36 comprises data 18 related to whether ornot the electronic call assistant 12 has put the voice mailfunctionality on or off. Moreover, the first database portion 36comprises data 20 indicating whether or not the electronic callassistant 12 has a Call Forwarding (CF) facility. The database portion36 also comprises data 22 related to settings.

The second database portion 38 comprises data 30 as to whether or notthe voice mail facility for electronic call assistant 14 is put on oroff, data 32 as to whether or not the call forwarding facility is activeor not, and data 34 related to settings.

The invention will be further explained with reference to someflowcharts. An annex provides a legend for the flowcharts.

FIGS. 3.1 and 3.2 give a flowchart of the top level of the electroniccall assistant platform in accordance with the invention.

First of all, the flowchart of FIGS. 3.1 and 3.2 will be described ingeneral terms. Further explanation of the sub-modules of FIGS. 3.1 and3.2 will be given below.

The top level flowchart of FIGS. 3.1 and 3.2 start with an Access moduleA2. In this module, a subscriber tries to get access to his electroniccall assistant 12, 14. If the access procedure fails, the subscribergets a message A4 indicating him to call the customer service. Insteadof such an indication, the subscriber may be directed automatically tothe customer service through an automatic link.

If the access procedure is successful a “PlayStartNotificationsmodule”A6 is entered.

Then, a Start Function module A8 is entered. In the Start Functionmodule A8, the system starts with a function as set by the user in asettings menu. In FIGS. 3.1 and 3.2, the situation is shown that theuser can have indicated that he wishes the Start Function A8 to startwith either a Play Voice Mail module A14, a Main Menu module A10, a SetVoice Mail module A16, a Call Forwarding module A18, or a Name Dialingmodule A22.

Preferably, the Start Function module A8 is arranged such that when theuser has not set an express start function the system automaticallystarts with the Main Menu A10 (default function).

After the Main Menu module A10, one of the possible steps is a jump toanother electronic call assistant, and thus switching to the Main Menuof the other electronic call assistant, step A12. Actually, this meansthat the Main Menu module A10 is entered again but with“Entrance”=“Switch” which results in e.g. another greeting message andaccess to another database via the other electronic call assistant.

After the Main Menu module A10 one of the following sub-modules may beentered, depending upon the choice made by the user:

Play Voice Mail module A14,

Set Voice Mail module A16,

Call Forwarding module A118,

Turn Off Call Forwarding module A20,

Name Dialing module A22,

Turn Call Waiting Off module A28,

Name Add module A30,

Settings module A24, and

Name List module A26.

Apart from the Name Dialing module A22 all these sub-modules have theiroutputs connected to the input of the Main Menu A10.

The Name Dialing module A22 has two possible outputs. The first outputis connected to the Main Menu module A10 directly and is used when thename dialing procedure has failed. The second output is connected to aCall Set Up module A32 and is used when the name dialing has beensuccessful.

The Call Set Up module A32 has its input also connected to the output ofthe Play Voice Mail module A14. This connection is used when, in thePlay Voice Mail module A14, the option is used for direct call backfacility.

The Call Set Up module A32 may also be entered by the output of the MainMenu module A10 directly in case of an automatic call of a customerservice.

The output of the Call Set Up module A32 is connected to the input ofthe Main Menu module A10.

Hereinafter, some of the sub-modules will be explained in furtherdetail: FIG. 4 provides an example of the Access module A2.

Users can get access to the electronic call assistant platform 11, e.g.,through dialing a predetermined telephone number. Preferably, thepredetermined telephone number is the same for the fixed and mobiletelephones of all subscribers.

The electronic call assistant platform checks whether a calling lineidentification (CLI) is available, step 201; if the CLI is available,the program carried out by the electronic call assistant platform checkswhether the CLI matches with any subscriber identification number, step202. If the CLI matches with the identification of one of thesubscribers to the electronic call assistant platform the program checkswhether or not a personal identification number (PIN) facility isenabled for the electronic call assistant concerned, step A203.

If no PIN facility is set the program jumps to step A204 in which accessis given to the electronic call assistant concerned: the programcontinues with step A6 (FIG. 3).

If no CLI in step 201 is available, the program continues withsub-module A205 in which the user is requested to enter a PIN. Thecontent of such a sub-module is known to persons skilled in the art andwill not be further illustrated in detail. After having received a PINthe program continues with sub-module A206 in which the user isrequested to enter the identification of a telephone number, i.e., astep which is the manual equivalent of the CLI matching step A202.

In step A207, the program checks whether the PIN and the ID (telephonenumber) inputted by the user match with one another. If so, the programcontinues with step A204. If not, the user is informed accordingly, stepA208, and the user gets another opportunity to input the correct PIN andID.

Step A209 shows that the user gets two additional opportunities to inputthe correct PIN and ID. If the user is not successful with two newattempts the program establishes that the access procedure has failedand continues with step A4 (see also FIG. 3).

If, in step A202, the program has established that the CLI does notmatch with any subscriber identification the program continues with stepA205 which is already explained above.

If, in step A203, the program establishes that a PIN is enabled for theID concerned the program continues with step A211 in which the user isrequested to enter the PIN concerned. The module A211 is similar tomodule A205.

After module A211, the program checks in step A212 whether the PIN andthe ID match with one another. If so, the program continues with stepA204. If not, the program continues with sub-module A206 which hasalready been explained above.

It is observed that the flowchart of FIG. 4 provides the possibility fora subscriber to the electronic call assistant platform to get access toone of his own electronic call assistants 12,14 through the use of atelephone of another party in two different ways. The first way is byusing a telephone which is no member of the electronic call assistantplatform. If such a telephone is used by a subscriber of the electroniccall assistant platform, and in step A202, the platform has establishedthat the CLI does not match with a subscriber identification, theprogram continues with step A205. In step A205 the user gets theopportunity to enter his PIN and in step A206 he gets the opportunity toenter the identification of his own telephone unit. Then, in step A207,the program establishes that the PIN and ID do match for a specificelectronic call assistant, i.e., for a telephone unit currently not usedby the user but which is a member of an electronic call assistantplatform. The electronic call assistant associated with that PIN and IDis than accessed through step A204.

A second way is the following. If a user uses a telephone unit ofanother party which is a member of the electronic call assistantplatform, the program continues to step A203 because the program willestablish that the CLI of the telephone unit used is a member of theplatform. However, in step A203, if a PIN is enabled for the telephoneunit used, the program continues with sub-module A211. If the user theninputs his own PIN and not the PIN associated with the telephone unitused, the user gets the opportunity to input both his own PIN and the IDof this own telephone unit through steps A212, A206, and A207. Then, hegets access to his own electronic call assistant.

It is observed that, with the flowchart of FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2, a userusing a telephone unit of another party directly gets access to theelectronic call assistant associated with that telephone unit if the PINfor that telephone unit is not enabled.

FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2 show a possible flowchart of the Main Menu A10.

The Main Menu has three possible values of input parameter “Entrance”.As is evident from FIG. 3.1, the main menu can be entered either asoutput of one of the modules A14–A32 (“Entrance”=“BackToMain”), asoutput of module A12 (“Entrance”=“Switch”), or as output ofStartfunction A8 (“Entrance”=“Access”). In dependence on the value of“Entrance”, a different announcement A102, A103 or A104 will be giventhe user.

In announcement A102 the user will receive the message “Switched to[other PP-line]”, in which “[other PP-line]” is the name of the othercall assistant to which he is transferred.

In announcement A103 the user will be informed that he has re-enteredthe main menu, and in announcement A104 a general greeting announcementwill be played back.

At window A105 the user must indicate his choice to the electronic callassistant, preferably, by voice instructions. The options currentlyenvisaged are: LineLabelCurrentOtherLineID A106, LineLabelOtherLineIDA108, Messages A10, Set Voice Mail A112, Forward my calls A114, Turn OffCall Forwarding A116, Call A118, Call [name] A120, NameList A122,Settings A124, Turn Voice Mail on A126, Turn Voice Mail off A128, TurnCall Waiting off A130, [call] Customer Service A132, and Add a nameA134. Future options may be: Play messages from [line label] A136, andForward calls to [name] A138. Of course, further options may beimplemented in a similar way.

Each of the options A106 through A138 is selected by the user anddepending upon the selection made by the user, the program steps to anassociated further process.

In step A106, it is established that the user has erroneously requestedto communicate with his current call assistant. This is detected, andthe user is informed of his mistake e.g. by an announcement “I'm here”A107 of the system.

After step A1107, the system returns to the Main Menu via announcement“Main Menu” A103.

In step A108, the system establishes that the user has indicated a wishto be transferred to another call assistant. The user is then connectedto the other call assistant so identified via module A12.

If the user has indicated that he wishes to hear the messages from thevoicemail, step A110, the program plays the registered voicemailmessages, step A14. Programs for playing voicemail messages are known topersons skilled to the art.

By selecting Set Voice Mail, step A112, the program will continue withsub-module A16 in which the user is allowed to set different kinds ofsettings of a voicemail box. The user can for instance specify thenumber of times the phone will ring (0–9 for instance) before a callerwill be directed to the voicemail facility. If there is no answer, thenthe caller will be asked to leave a message in the voicemail box. If thecalled line is busy or a mobile telephone is not reachable, the callerwill be forwarded to a voicemail facility directly. Optionally, thesubscriber is also able to specify a greeting message for his voicemailbox in this module.

Through step A126 the program also continues with the Set Voice Mailsub-module A16 and the user gets the opportunity to turn his voicemailfacility on. Through step A128 the program also continues with Set VoiceMail-module A16 and the user gets the opportunity to turn the voicemailfacility off.

The Call Forwarding facility A18 is entered when the user selects stepA114: Forward my calls. Through step A116, the user is able to turn offthe Call Forwarding facility. Turning off the Call Forwarding facilityis dealt with in the sub-module A20.

Through step A118, the user will be directly connected to a telephoneunit of another party of which he tells the telephone number to hiselectronic call assistant. The program then enters the Name Dialingsub-module A22. The content of such Name Dialing sub-modules is known topersons skilled in the art and will not be explained in detail here.

Through step A120, a user can be connected to the telephone unit ofanother person of which he tells the name to the electronic callassistant.

A user can also be connected to the customer service by indicating so tothe electronic call assistant, step A132. After step A132, the programenters the Name-Dialing sub-module A22.

When the user has entered the NameList sub-module A26 through step A122the user is provided with the possibility to add, remove, or changenames in the common address book 26 (see FIG. 2). Also, the user mayinstruct the program to play the entire list of the addresses in thecommon address book 26 in the NameList sub-module A26.

After the user has selected the Settings option, step A124, the programcontinues with Settings sub-module A24, details of which are explainedwith reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

After having selected the Settings option, step A124, the program entersthe Settings sub-module A24 in step A240. In step A241 the user isrequested to enter his selection of the setting he wishes to make.

FIG. 6 shows several possible selection options. It is observed thatsome of these settings can also be accessed directly through the MainMenu in FIG. 5.

The optional settings shown in FIG. 6 are: Set VoiceMail A243, CallForwarding A244, Turn Off Call Forwarding A245, Set PIN A246, Set UserLevel A247, Set VoiceMail Playing Order A248, Set VoiceMail NotificationA249, Set VoiceMail Greeting A250, Set Start Function A251, SetVoiceMail Header A252, and Set Line Label A253. All these sub-moduleshave the same exit A254. Depending on the arrangements made, some ofthese settings will be line specific, i.e., either stored in boxes 22,34 (FIG. 2), or as shared settings in box 28 (FIG. 2).

In sub-module A246, the user can set his own PIN-code, which comprisesfor instance four digits. This PIN-code is preferably always the samefor any kind of access to the electronic call assistant platform, be itthrough his mobile telephone, his fixed telephone or any other access.Users can specify whether a PIN is necessary at logging in. In oneembodiment, a PIN is not necessary for gaining access with the users'mobile telephone. These mobile telephones are usually equipped with aPIN-code of their own. Therefore, an additional PIN-code is notnecessary. When gaining access to the electronic call assistant platformfrom an unknown telephone unit the PIN will, preferably, always benecessary.

When a user has entered sub-module A247, he can set the user level toeither beginner or expert level for the entire service. This affectsonly the length of the prompts used. The user level is intended to bespecific to a number of modules (tasks). If the user has performed acertain task more than a predetermined number of times (for example tentimes) the prompts used can be shortened (i.e., set to expert level).Through sub-module A248, a user can set a preference for the order ofplaying voicemail messages.

In sub-module A249, the user can indicate if he wants to be notifiedabout new messages when entering the system. If the setting “voicemailaccess notification” is turned on, than users will receive thenotification immediately upon logging in. If this setting is turned off,users will only receive this notification before listening to themessages.

In sub-module A250, the user can set a personal voicemail greeting.

FIG. 7 shows a possible flowchart for the sub-module A250. After theprogram has entered the sub-module A250 in step A2501, the user hears amessage like “greeting for [line label] is now [play current greeting].Do you like to change it?”, step A2502.

If the user inputs YES to this question, the program continues withsub-module A2503 in which the user is requested to input the new desiredgreeting which is done in a way known in the art, and the programcontinues with step 2505. If, in step A2502, the answer of the user isNO, the program continues with step A2504. In this step the user hearsan announcement to confirm this.

After step A2504, and after step A2503, the program continues with stepA2505 in which the system checks whether or not the subscriber ownsother lines. If the answer is YES, the program continues with step A2506in which the user is requested whether or not he wishes to have the samegreeting on his other line too. If the answer is yes, in step A2507, thecurrently active electronic call assistant transfers control to theelectronic call assistant associated with the other line which copiesthe voicemail greeting for the other line. If step A2507 has beencarried out correctly, the user is informed accordingly in step A2508,and the program jumps to the exit A2510.

If in step A2505 the system has established that there are no otherlines, the program directly jumps to the exit A2510.

If after step A2506, the user has indicated that he does not wish thesame greeting for his other line, the user is informed that a possibleamendment of the greeting for the other line is cancelled, step A2509.Then the program continues with step A2510.

The greetings for each of the lines can be stored in the different linespecific storages 36 and 38, respectively. However, alternatively it ispossible to store all greetings in common database 40, and thus toprovide access to these greetings to all present call assistants,together with authorization rules about use and possibilities to amendthem.

In the flow chart according to FIG. 7 the voicemail greetings of alldifferent telephone units of the same subscriber may be amended whilebeing assisted by one of the electronic call assistants only. To thatend the electronic call assistant used communicates with the otherelectronic call assistants for setting the voicemail greetings of thedifferent telephone units concerned.

Returning now to FIG. 6, in sub-module A251 the user can indicate withwhich function he always wants to start when he enters the electroniccall assistant platform, i.e., what the settings are of the StartFunction sub-module A8 (see FIG. 3.1). As mentioned before, the defaultvalue is Main Menu (i.e., “Entrance”=“Main Menu” for module A10).

In sub-module A252, the user can indicate whether he wants the “time ofdelivery” in the header of a voicemail message to be vague, like“yesterday morning”, or to be more precise, “April 4, 1.30 PM”. Thevoicemail header setting is general, i.e., set in settings 28, and notline-specific.

In sub-module A253 as explained in FIG. 8, the user can give theassistant a predetermined name, with which the user can call that“line-assistant” from the Main Menu of the other “line-assistant”. Thus,each line has an electronic call assistant with a separate name.

Now the description returns to FIG. 5. Through step A122 the user canenter the NameList sub-module A26. In this sub-module A26, the systemfirst checks whether the name list is still empty. If it is still emptythe user is only allowed to add a name to the name list. After that thesystem checks whether the list is full and if so, the system requeststhe user to remove a name from the list before he is allowed to add afurther name. The user has several options: add a name, remove a name,change a number or check the name list.

When the user wishes to add a name he is requested to say the name hewants to add to the name list. Then the system checks whether the nameis too short or too similar to another name in the list. Finally, theuser is requested to pronounce the name again until two entries aresufficiently alike to add them to the name list. Then the system checkswhether it already knows the number. If not, the user is prompted toenter the number. The syntax is checked and the system also checkswhether or not the number is already in the list with another name. Thisis allowed but the user is informed about that.

The user is requested whether or not he wants to remove a name from thelist. If so, the system carries out the removal.

The user is also allowed to change a recorded number for a name. Thesystem checks whether or not this is a valid number. Moreover, thesystem checks whether or not the user has forwarded his calls to thisname. If the user did, the call forwarding number will be changed aswell.

Moreover, in sub-module A26, the user can indicate whether he wants tohear only the names of the people in his name list or the numbers aswell. Preferably, the user can navigate through the name list by saying“next” and “stop”.

Through step A130, the user can indicate to the electronic callassistant platform that he wishes to turn off the call waiting facility.In a call waiting facility, the electronic call assistant can put nextcallers on hold when the telephone unit called is busy and theelectronic call assistant will then inform the user of the calledtelephone unit accordingly. Such a call waiting facility is known fromthe prior art as such and does not need any detailed explanation here.

Through step A134, in which the user for instance says “add a name”, theelectronic call assistant platform directly switches to the Name Addsub-module A30 (see FIG. 3.2). In this module, the user can directly adda name, i.e., a name and a telephone number to the common directory 26(see FIG. 2).

The option of step A136 refers to requesting the electronic callassistant associated with the telephone unit which a user is calling torequest the electronic call assistant of another line to play thecontent of the voice mail box of the other line. In the option of stepA138, the user gets the possibility to forward a call to another personby telling the electronic call assistant the name of that other person.

FIGS. 9.1 and 9.2 provide a flowchart of how the system works inrelation to incoming calls, i.e., callers trying to reach the telephoneunit of a subscriber to the electronic call assistant platform. In stepB0, a caller, called “A-party”, starts by dialing the number of either afixed line or a mobile line of a “B-party” being a subscriber.

In step B2, the call is transferred to the electronic call assistantplatform, whereas in step B4 it is evaluated whether or not thetelephone number of the called party is a member of the electronic callassistant platform.

If the called line belongs to a telephone unit which is a member of theelectronic call assistant platform, it is checked whether or not thecall forwarding facility of the called telephone is active, step B6.

If the call forwarding facility is not active, it is checked whether ornot the voice mail facility of the called telephone unit is active, stepB8. If the voice mail facility is not active the called telephone unitwill ring. As a result either the connection is made, or the telephoneunit appears to be busy, or the called party doesn't answer the ringingtelephone unit.

If in step B8 it is established that the voice mail facility is active,the program checks, in step B22, how many times the telephone unit mustring before the program must jump to the voice mail registrationfacility. In step B24 the telephone unit rings the said number of times(n) before the call is transferred to the voice mail registrationfacility. If n=0 then the call is directed to the voice mailregistration facility without delay, and step B24 is bypassed.

If in step B24 the telephone is answered, the connection will be madeand the voice mail registration facility will not be used.

If the caller reaches the voice mail registration facility in step B26the voice mail message of the caller is registered in a way known in theart. After step B26, the program checks whether or not the subscriberhas set the system to be notified of new voice mail messages. If so, a“new mail” notification will be transmitted to the subscriber, step B30.

Returning now to step B6, if it is established that the call forwardingfacility is active, e.g. to a “C-party”, then the program jumps to stepB16.

In step B16, the program checks a predetermined recorded number of ringsfor the B-party before the system must switch to the C-party. In stepB18, the program provides for ringing the correct number (n) of rings ofthe telephone unit of the B-party. If this telephone unit is answered, aconnection will be made. If the B-party telephone unit is not answeredwithin n rings, the calling party is switched through to the C-party,step B19. If n=0, the program bypasses step B18 and switches the callingparty through to the C-party directly.

In step B34, the program checks whether or not the voice mail facilityof the B-party is enabled. If not, the program continues with step B40in which the telephone unit of the C-party will ring when it is notbusy. If not busy, the connection may be made.

If in step B34 it is established that the voice mail facility of theB-party is enabled, in step B36, the program will check the number (n)of times that the telephone unit of the C-party must ring before thevoice mail registration facility of the B-party is made active. After nrings the program continues with the sub-module B26 in which the voicemail message of the caller may be recorded. Alternatively, in step B38,the telephone unit of the C-party may be answered and the connection bemade.

If in step B36 it is established that n=0, the step B38 is bypassed, andthe program directly continues with sub-module B26 to record a voicemail message of A-party (the caller).

1. A telephone exchange (1) arranged to communicate with a plurality ofcommunication units (2, 3, 4, 5, 7) comprising at least one set ofcommunication units associated with one or more subscribers, and toprovide an electronic call assistant platform to said at least one setof communication unites, said electronic call assistant platformcomprising at least a first electronic call assistant (12) associatedwith one subscriber and a second electronic call assistant (14)associated with said one subscriber, the first electronic call assistant(12) having access to a distinct first database (36), the secondelectronic call assistant (14) having access to a distinct seconddatabase (38), wherein the first (12) and second (14) electronic callassistants share a common database.
 2. A telephone exchange according toclaim 1, wherein said common data base (40) comprises at least a commonvoice mail box (24) and setting (28) related to said common voice mailbox (24).
 3. A telephone exchange according to claim 1, wherein saidcommon data base (4) comprises at least a common address book (26) andsettings (26) related to said common address book (26).
 4. A telephoneexchange according to claim 1, wherein said common data base (40)comprises data as to at least one of the following groups of items: asetting related to user level, a PIN code, and other personal settingsrelated to said one subscriber and not to one of said communicationunits specifically.
 5. A telephone exchange according to claim 1,wherein each of said communication units have a distinct calling lineidentification, and each of the electronic call assistants has a fixedrelation to one of said communication units through its calling lineidentification.
 6. A telephone exchange according to claim 5, whereinaccess to said first electronic call assistant is only allowed throughusing a first personal identification code.
 7. A telephone exchangeaccording to claim 6, being arranged to allow access to said firstelectronic call assistant to a user of a third communication unit (3, 5,7) after said user has inputted both said first personal identificationcode and said first calling line identification by means of said thirdcommunication unit (3, 5, 7).
 8. A telephone exchange according to claim1, wherein the first (12) and second (14) electronic call assistants arearranged to communicate with one another.